The self-styled guardians of morality and social values in India are getting more brazen day-by-day.

In a Talibani diktat slapping several restrictions on women, a village panchayat in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh - around 40 km from the national Capital - banned girls from using mobile phones when out on roads and women less than 40 years old from going out shopping.

The panchayat of Asara village also banned love marriages and ordered girls to cover their heads while stepping out of their houses.

The panchayat also said girls have to cover their heads while stepping out of house

The decisions were taken by the panchayat in February this year. It met on Wednesday to ensure strict enforcement of its decisions.

'We noticed that some girls and their parents were not taking our order seriously. So, we held a meeting on Wednesday in which we resolved that those who defy the order would be first ostracised and then expelled from the village. There are other ways also to make them follow the instructions. But that would be decided when such a situation arises,' Mohammed Mohkam (50), a member of the panchayat, said.

While 70 per cent villagers are Muslims, 30 per cent are Hindus, most of them Jats.

The meeting on Wednesday was attended by 200 people, representing the two communities in proportion to their population. To be sure, there were some welcome decisions also as the panchayat ruled that taking or giving dowry would be a punishable offence.

Besides, it barred boys from using headphones/earphones on roads and in bylanes.

'We also want even our boys to stop using earphone because they fail to listen horn on the roads and meet with accidents. Our women are also expected to cover their heads in the village. They can remove it once out of the boundary of the village,' Mohkam said.

But most of the fatwas were aimed at curbing the freedom of girls. The panchayat slammed love birds planning to enter into wedlock.

'Love marriages are a shame for society. It is very painful for the parents, specially the girl's family, because such marriages dent their respectability. Anyone who goes for love marriage will not be allowed to live in the village,' Sattar Ahmed, another member of the panchayat, said.

'I would have been more happy had the panchayat imposed a complete ban on girls using mobiles,' Tarun Chaudhary, another villager, said.

Mohammed Islamuddin (62), another panchayat member, said: 'We are of the view that our immature daughters and sisters shouldn't carry a mobile phone because it leads to various complications. You know well how mobile phone has been misused to make MMS clips. We want to prevent them from any wrongdoing and protect them from bad elements.'

Even women appeared to support the panchayat's diktats. Geeta Devi, 40, said: 'Whatever they have decided would be followed. There shouldn't be arguments.'

However, Neetu Singh, a 23- year-old MA student in Baghpat who belongs to the same village, said: "I agree with the order that women should cover their heads in the village.

But using a mobile is necessary to be in touch with our parents. The panchayat must know that women are no less than men in any walk of life.'

Baghpat's superintendent of police V.K. Shekhar said: 'A deputy superintendent of police is probing the matter and suitable action will be taken once I receive the report.'

State Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshis said: 'We will take up this Talibani order with the National Women's Rights Commission. Such bizarre orders can't be accepted at any cost.'